With an eye towards adding a surgery wing to the facility, the Trigg County Hospital Board of Directors agreed to a contract with American Health Facilities Development for a $13,500 facility review assessment.

The review plans to look at the location and space allocation of existing facilities, strategic planning and architectural services for the hospital. The board rejected a larger Master Planning Service Plan for $35,775, which included the assessment.

“The concern with the master facility plan was that we were not quite ready for major renovations,” said Hospital CEO Lisa Coleman. “We do have $30,000 in the budget for a master plan. We’re in a growing mode and expect some growing pains. The question we have to ask is at what speed to grow at.”

Coleman said that unless the hospital underwent a major overhaul, the expenditure on a master plan could be wasted as data gathered became obsolete. “Right now, we need a surgery department and space for our physicians. These areas of need have limited what we can do.” She added that the assessment served as a road map for additions and renovation, but did not provide all of the details of the master plan.

“Surgery can be a cash cow for the hospital. We would not have to see as many patients there as we would in physical therapy, for example, to be profitable,” said Coleman. “The physicians I have talked to believe that this is a primary care function we can provide in this facility. We’re limited from doing this at this time by the facility itself.”